filling a void in southern food blogging since 2004

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

gluten is my bitch (uh, not just yet) (galley review)

So I reviewed this galley at least a month ago. Wrote it up all nice and pretty on my iPad and LOST the dread thing, somehow. And have been super lazy about the re-write. Re-creating it might be a bitch, to plcuk from April Peveteaux's title. But, perhaps I can improve upon my original.

You see, my family and I are lucky in that we do not suffer from the celiac disease. Praise the Lord. But, there are ____ loads (insert shit before there, because as April drops the bomb so eloquently in chapter one "What to do when you're crapping your pants") of folks who do gluten-free by choice because of its many health benefits. Granted, I'm one of those who veer toward the gluten-free side just because it's gotta be better for you.

April writes the blog Gluten is my Bitch. It came first, then the book. Sadly, I had not read her blog prior to reading the galley, but I love her voice. You will too. So energetic. How can someone weighed down with celiac disease pluse with energy and such be gifted with a flair for language? I mean, I suppose my notion of those suffering from disease is outmoded, cause April has killer energy, energy out the yang, and a level of happiness that just ain't natural. It's all those alt wheat flours she's injesting.

Heck April breaks it down for you anyway. Going gluten-free might help you with:

Gluten is my Bitch is a mix of memoir and recipes you won't want to miss. Amd, the cooking tips? Who knew all this mess about how gluten-free cookie batter sucks? Obviously not I. And then there's the bit about having to preheat the heck out of your oven because gluten-free baked goods take extra long to cook. Seriously. I'm sure that you could learn all this in most gluten-free cookbooks, but you wouldn't have nearly as much fun.

Another jewel I learned is once you go gluten-free, you can still make most of your favorite recipes, but you have to substitute your nasty old shit-inducing flour for a sparkling new gluten-free kind and maybe add xanthan gum.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

So like when you make pasta, use gluten-free noodles. Right? Correct me if I'm wrong. Oh, and then adjust your cooking time per the cooking tip above that I revealed.

Given the sample of April's writing and recipes that I tasted in the proof her publicist from Abrams Books sent me, I gotta say that I love her voice and want to read more. Gluten is my Bitch is truly entertainining. April's voice is original. Her experiences in the kitchen, disco dance floorand elsewhere, will have you raising your rolling pins in gluten-free solidarity and clamouring for more.

Okay, one more thing, Gluten is my bitch is spot on for parents whose darlings have celiac disease. Chapter Six, "Holy Crap my Kid's a Celiac" walks newbie parents through the process, like the blood test, and then stocking your pantry, getting ready for snack-time at preschool, etc.

And there's a helpful sidebar for those terrifying moments at the crafts table cautioning you to always check the label on your kid's modeling clay, paper mache, finger paints, and play-doh, cause if they eat it, they'll have diarrhea.

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gluten is my bitch (uh, not just yet) (galley review)

So I reviewed this galley at least a month ago. Wrote it up all nice and pretty on my iPad and LOST the dread thing, somehow. And have been super lazy about the re-write. Re-creating it might be a bitch, to plcuk from April Peveteaux's title. But, perhaps I can improve upon my original.

You see, my family and I are lucky in that we do not suffer from the celiac disease. Praise the Lord. But, there are ____ loads (insert shit before there, because as April drops the bomb so eloquently in chapter one "What to do when you're crapping your pants") of folks who do gluten-free by choice because of its many health benefits. Granted, I'm one of those who veer toward the gluten-free side just because it's gotta be better for you.

April writes the blog Gluten is my Bitch. It came first, then the book. Sadly, I had not read her blog prior to reading the galley, but I love her voice. You will too. So energetic. How can someone weighed down with celiac disease pluse with energy and such be gifted with a flair for language? I mean, I suppose my notion of those suffering from disease is outmoded, cause April has killer energy, energy out the yang, and a level of happiness that just ain't natural. It's all those alt wheat flours she's injesting.

Heck April breaks it down for you anyway. Going gluten-free might help you with:

Gluten is my Bitch is a mix of memoir and recipes you won't want to miss. Amd, the cooking tips? Who knew all this mess about how gluten-free cookie batter sucks? Obviously not I. And then there's the bit about having to preheat the heck out of your oven because gluten-free baked goods take extra long to cook. Seriously. I'm sure that you could learn all this in most gluten-free cookbooks, but you wouldn't have nearly as much fun.

Another jewel I learned is once you go gluten-free, you can still make most of your favorite recipes, but you have to substitute your nasty old shit-inducing flour for a sparkling new gluten-free kind and maybe add xanthan gum.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

So like when you make pasta, use gluten-free noodles. Right? Correct me if I'm wrong. Oh, and then adjust your cooking time per the cooking tip above that I revealed.

Given the sample of April's writing and recipes that I tasted in the proof her publicist from Abrams Books sent me, I gotta say that I love her voice and want to read more. Gluten is my Bitch is truly entertainining. April's voice is original. Her experiences in the kitchen, disco dance floorand elsewhere, will have you raising your rolling pins in gluten-free solidarity and clamouring for more.

Okay, one more thing, Gluten is my bitch is spot on for parents whose darlings have celiac disease. Chapter Six, "Holy Crap my Kid's a Celiac" walks newbie parents through the process, like the blood test, and then stocking your pantry, getting ready for snack-time at preschool, etc.

And there's a helpful sidebar for those terrifying moments at the crafts table cautioning you to always check the label on your kid's modeling clay, paper mache, finger paints, and play-doh, cause if they eat it, they'll have diarrhea.